Improvement in hoop-skirts



' UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

HORACE B. AMES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THEODORE D. DAY ANDGILBERT HORTON, OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOOP-SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,809, dated March 1, 1864.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, HORACE B. AMES, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented, made, and applied to use a certain Improved Clasp for the Hoops of Skeleton Skirts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making partof this specification, wherein- Figure l is an edge view of my said clasp as applied to use, a portion being in section, the more clearly to illustrate the `improve ment. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the clasp as in use, and Fig. 3 is a view of the sheet-metal blank as cut out by dies to form the said clasp.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

In the manufacture of skeleton skirts it has heretofore been usual to lap the ends of the covered wire forming the hoops, and place on each end a clasp that connects also to the hoop itseltl at some little distance from the otherend. In this case the amount of wire that lapped or was double added to the weight oi' the skirt, but was considered necessary in order that the hoops might be increased or decreased in diameter. Experience, however, has shown that now extension-skirts are preferable, because the shape once given by the formers or blocks on which they are made cannot be advantageously altered. I dispense with the aforesaid extra length of wire where the hoops have lapped, and by my peculiar clasp unite both ends of each hoop permanently together.

In the drawings, areprcsents one end of the hoop, and b the other end of the same hoop. c is my improved clasp. This is formed with lips 1 and 2 at the ends, turned up in oppositev directions, and 3 and 4 are the end teeth, and 5 and 6 are the intermediate teeth. The clasp goes between the ends a and b. The teeth 3 and 5 are turned down and inclose the end al, and the teeth 4 and 6 are turned down and inclose the end b. By this means the ends of the hoop are rml y held and clasped together so that they cannot be separated, and the appearance of the article is neat, and all superiiuous weight is avoided.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A non-extension hoop-skirt formed by uniting the ends of the springs by the clasp c, constructed and applied as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 18th day of December, 1863.

HORACE B. AMES.

Witnesses LEMUEL SERRELL, GHAs. H. SMITH. 

